265 Questions NCLEX - PASSED!

I am writing this to give hope to anyone who is worried in regards to taking their NCLEX exam! Everyone has worked so hard to get through the ups and downs of nursing school but then there is the dreaded NCLEX. Studying for the NCLEX requires lots of hard work, dedication, and a few mental breakdowns aha. However, it is important to stay focused!

My first time writing the NCLEX I had used the Saunders textbook. For me, the textbook was hard to get through as it is jammed with so much information that was hard to retain for me. I had also used the UWORLD question banks to help me to prepare. On the big day, I was extremely nervous and anxious. I made a big mistake though. I had really only prepared myself to do the minimum 75 questions and I had been very hopeful with my UWORLD scores that that is what I would receive. Well, 75 questions came and went and I could feel my anxiety levels rising. Once I had passed 168 questions it is like my mind went blank I had worked myself up so much that I had already thought that I had failed, it was like I had given up. I ended up going the full 265 questions in about 3 1/2 hours.

Coming out of the exam I felt extremely discouraged and knew that it had not gone well at all. The results came and of course, I did not pass. Feeling extremely down on myself I realized I had to change my strategy for how I was to study. I ended up enrolling in the Kaplan online live course which although expensive, in my opinion, was worth the money. The course really helped me to prepare as their course materials were much easier to follow. The incorporation of the live courses run by Registered Nurses as well as their live textbook, videos, question banks and question trainers I felt much more confident going into my exam the second time. The course teaches you to prepare to go the distance in the exam and that everyone should go in thinking that they are going to write the full 265 questions. I studied for three months using the Kaplan course materials.

Last week I took my NCLEX for the 2nd time and I went in feeling a lot more confident that the previous time. This time I took my time really reading over each question and going through each possible answer. The exam took me through the full 265 questions again (ahh seriously), however this time I was able to use strategies to help me calm myself down and take a real look at the questions. I wrote for almost the full 6 hours. After my exam, I felt pretty good about how I had performed, but you never really know. I had read a lot of these chat groups to read about peoples experiences with writing the full 265 questions and whether or not they had passed. Which looking back is not very helpful. In the end, it is how you performed and not someone else. You just have to take your time and remember what you have learned up to this point. My results came in the mail yesterday and it turns out I passed! After writing the NCLEX twice both times with 265 questions I had finally done it, what a relief!

If I can do it I know that you guys can do it too! Just have faith in yourself and if you don't get it the first or even the second time just take a look at how you are studying and maybe you need to change the way that you are going about it! Wishing everyone all of the luck